STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- In a milestone in what has been a high-profile freshman term, GOP Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis has raised more money for her 2012 re-election campaign than any other Assembly Republican except the leader of the conference.

Ms. Malliotakis, who is running her first re-election campaign this year, has raised $114,962 since January 2011. Only Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, at $172,982, raised more in that time period, according to records provided to the Advance.

"I am greatly appreciative of the financial support I have received from my many supporters on Staten Island and beyond," said Ms. Malliotakis, the first Hispanic-American elected official in borough history. "I believe this broad-based support is a testament to my hard work for our community and the state as a whole."

Upstate GOP Assemblyman Sean Hanna reported raising $127,396, but $100,000 of that was a personal loan he made to his own campaign and was not given by donors.

"It shows Nicole to be a shining star in the Assembly," said borough GOP chairman Robert Scamardella, "somebody who's on an upward move."

Ms. Malliotakis, who unseated Democrat Janele Hyer-Spencer in 2010, has hit the ground running in her first year in the state Legislature.

She slammed Gov. Andrew Cuomo for failing to mention the Island and the sky-high Port Authority of New York and New Jersey toll hikes in his State of the State address.

In addition to railing against the hikes, she has also called upon the P.A. to sell off its money-losing real estate properties.

"She's on top of everything," said Brooklyn Conservative chairman Jerry Kassar. "I'm glad it's reflected in the support she's getting. It shows she has political strength."

Forming a strong, across-the-aisle bond with Democratic state Sen. Diane Savino (D-North Shore/Brooklyn), Ms. Malliotakis has also raised the alarm over potential ballast water regulations that could destroy the region's shipping industry. She has also spoken out against the MTA payroll tax.

"It's always a reflection on your performance when people are willing to invest in you," said Ms. Savino, who is known as a powerhouse fundraiser. "She's doing what you're supposed to do if you're an incumbent in a swing district."

"Nicole is a hard worker," Kolb told the Advance. "She understands that constituent concerns come first. Those are her priorities. But she also understands the political process, that she has to raise money."